C'mon, Big Guys, Lake Mary Says

City Hopes New District Will Encourage Corporations To Set Up Shop

LAKE MARY — City planners envision the Rinehart Road corridor south of Seminole Towne Center mall becoming a major development area.

The area, already a mix of commercial, industrial and residential developments, could provide an abundance of tax dollars if it develops the way the city hopes.

The City Commission started the task of planning for such development last week by voting to designate property between Interstate 4 and Rinehart Road part of a new ''corporate district'' designed to attract big, long-term tenants.

The corporate district, which would encourage uses such as corporate headquarters, would allow Lake Mary to get back to the traditional planning model of self-sufficient cities and away from a suburban bedroom community, Mayor Lowry Rockett said.

The commissions' decision was based on a study prepared by the city's planning staff. The study had four options for development in the corridor, which is bounded by State Road 46A on the north, Lake Mary Boulevard on the south, International Parkway and Orange Boulevard on the east and Rantoul Lane on the west. Rinehart Road bisects the area.

Commissioner George Duryea asked why keeping the current land-use plan - which calls for industrial, commercial and residential uses - would not accomplish the same result.

City Planner Matt West told the commission the current land uses could attract larger users but also allow existing large land parcels to be divided into smaller ones.

The smaller tracts are less attractive to the kind of tenants the city wants, he said.

Under the plan, the area east of Rinehart Road would be used for moderate- to low-density housing - another item large businesses look for

when relocating, West said.

The commissioners were tested on their willingness to support the corporate district shortly after approving the concept. The commission tentatively approved a land-use change that would allow a 260-house development by Olympia Homes Inc. to be built on the east side of Rinehart.

The biggest drawback to the corporate district is that it requires long-term planning that forgoes short-term gains, West warned the commission earlier. In other words, city leaders will need to be patient and willing to turn down development that doesn't fit the category.

The benefit, however, is a more stable tax base in the long run and a smaller impact on nearby residential areas.

Commissioner David Mealor urged the city to look into what types of incentives the city could offer to entice large developments to the area.

Creating the new district will take some time. Changes will have to be made to the city's land-use map. And several ordinances will have to be passed.